Queensland Government to keep watch over unfair Work Choices AWAs
Published Thursday, 02 November, 2006 at 03:22 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Employment and Industrial Relations Minister John Mickel has vowed Queensland will continue to highlight harsh employment conditions under the federal Government’s Work Choices laws after today’s revelation that the Commonwealth had stopped monitoring them.
Mr Mickel said the revelation, at today’s Senate Employment Workplace Relations and Education Estimates Committee, was disturbing for workers being forced to accept unfair AWAs under Work Choices.
“The statement today by the Office of Employment Advocate (OEA), that AWAs were no longer being analysed for fairness is a further assault on the wages and conditions of workers and their families,” Mr Mickel said.
“The OEA earlier this year told a Senate committee that every one of a sample of 250 Work Choices AWAs had removed at least one protected award condition.
“This information came as a shock even to those who for some time have warned of the dangers of the unfair Work Choices legislation.
“Cancelling the analysis can only add fuel to the fears of workers that the federal Government is planning to go down the US path and continue its open slather deregulation.”
Mr Mickel said that while the Howard Government was shirking its responsibilities, Queensland would continue to monitor and highlight attacks on fair and reasonable pay and conditions.
Employees and employers could contact the Fair Go Queensland Advisory Service on 1300 737 841 or via the Internet for information about the impact of federal workplace laws.
The Wageline information service also could be contacted on 1300 369 945 for awards, rates of pay, wages and conditions.
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
November 2, 2006
Mr Mickel said the revelation, at today’s Senate Employment Workplace Relations and Education Estimates Committee, was disturbing for workers being forced to accept unfair AWAs under Work Choices.
“The statement today by the Office of Employment Advocate (OEA), that AWAs were no longer being analysed for fairness is a further assault on the wages and conditions of workers and their families,” Mr Mickel said.
“The OEA earlier this year told a Senate committee that every one of a sample of 250 Work Choices AWAs had removed at least one protected award condition.
“This information came as a shock even to those who for some time have warned of the dangers of the unfair Work Choices legislation.
“Cancelling the analysis can only add fuel to the fears of workers that the federal Government is planning to go down the US path and continue its open slather deregulation.”
Mr Mickel said that while the Howard Government was shirking its responsibilities, Queensland would continue to monitor and highlight attacks on fair and reasonable pay and conditions.
Employees and employers could contact the Fair Go Queensland Advisory Service on 1300 737 841 or via the Internet for information about the impact of federal workplace laws.
The Wageline information service also could be contacted on 1300 369 945 for awards, rates of pay, wages and conditions.
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
November 2, 2006